Western Express Highway flyover to be shut for two weeks to fix deadly gap

Jan 30, 2016, 08:20 IST
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Ranjeet Jadhav

After receiving traffic police's permit, the Public Works Department (PWD) will be closing the south-bound stretch of the Western Express Highway flyover at Kandivli to repair damaged expansion joint

Taking serious note of mid-day’s January 28 report on the gaping space in the expansion joints on the south-bound stretch of the Western Express Highway flyover in Kandivli, the Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to close the carriageway in order to repair the damaged expansion joint.

The gap between the expansion joints of the flyover has developed into a hazard for two and three wheeler riders using the flyover on a daily basis. Pic/Nimesh Dave

However, this will affect commuters who use the flyover on a daily basis, as the traffic on the south bound stretch of the arterial WEH between the Thakur Complex flyover in Kandivli and Dahisar, might witness bumper to bumper traffic jams in the coming weeks.

The traffic police, along with MSRDC and PWD officials inspected the flyover yesterday. Since Thursday night, the PWD has started temporary repair work, during which it will temporarily fix a metal sheet to cover the gap between the expansion joints. But, in the coming weeks, the bridge might be partly closed for traffic and heavily vehicles would be completely banned on it.

Awaiting NOCSpeaking to mid-day, PWD Engineer SS Deshmukh who is also in charge of WEH, said, “We have visited the flyover, and it has been observed that the expansion joints are in a bad condition. They require permanent repairs, which the contractor will do as the bridge is in the defect liability period. We have already informed the traffic police department and have sought permission to partly close the flyover for a period of two weeks. Once we get the NOC from them, the repair work will start.”

Heavy vehicles bannedHowever, it will take at least two or three weeks for getting the permission from the traffic police, since they will have to prepare a plan for managing the heavy traffic movement that takes places via WEH in the morning and evening peak hours.

“We have kept a target of completing the repair work in two weeks’ time, from the day we get the permission. We have plans to partly close the flyover once the actual work begins. One of the lanes would remain operational for light motor vehicles, but entry to heavy vehicles would be completely banned,” added Deshmukh.

A source from PWD told mid-day that the material required for repairing the flyover would come from outside Maharashtra and it would reach Mumbai in two–three weeks.